Step into the zombie apocalypse with this brutal and terrifying shooter.

By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content

Arizona Sunshine was one of the first big titles to hit virtual reality devices, and while the game’s campaign is only a few hours long, it’s one of the premiere experiences available on the HTC Vive. If you dream of stepping into the zombie apocalypse (and why wouldn’t you), look no further.

On top of having great gunplay that feels smooth and polished, Arizona Sunshine also excels at quality map design. All of the game’s maps are massive and give you a ton of room, and the various weapons at your disposal will more than make up for any brutal deaths that you might experience. That being said, there are a couple of inconsistencies to be aware of before you dive in.

Arizona Sunshine

First, the game’s movement system can be a bit rough at times—especially if you’re having to work with the flashlight. It’s not too bad when you first get started, but as time wears on, it can get a bit tedious to walk around and explore the maps with this device. This is a shame, as the maps are all extremely detailed and beautifully crafted.

The other thing to take into account is the niche market. While the single player campaign is great, the game really shines in its horde and co-op modes. However, because the virtual reality audience is a bit low due to the cost of hardware, it can often be tough to find matches and people to dive into the game with. This takes away a large portion of the replay value, because nobody wants to sit around waiting two to three hours to set up a match with random players online. Of course, if you have a dedicated VR buddy, this won’t be that big of an issue.

Arizona Sunshine

Graphics are another high point. The zombie animations and movements look smooth, and it’s easy to get lost within the immersive world. Zombies swagger towards you, skin dripping from their pale bodies. As far as the aesthetics of the world go, everything feels apocalyptic. Vehicles are covered in dust and cobwebs, really bringing the feeling that they haven’t been touched in a long time. Kills feel satisfyingly brutal, as gore sputters from the zombies when you take them down; blood splatters, the crunch of bullets hit flesh and bone, and bodies slam to the floor. It all comes together to create a terrifying, yet thrilling game that’s hard to forget.

The developers have started to release DLC for the game, starting out with a short expansion, Arizona: Sunshine - Dead Man, a prequel story that will take players roughly an hour to complete. It’s more of the same stuff you’ll see in the base game—though a few new guns and some new locations have made their way into the title. There’s not really much to say about the DLC—it’s tiny—but it is a nice addition to the world and story that they’ve already managed to craft.

Arizona SunshineAll around, Arizona Sunshine has a lot of promise. The DLC so far has delivered more of the same great content and hopefully that means we can still expect to see more content release for the zombie shooter in the coming months. No matter which way you slice it, though, Arizona Sunshine is one of the smoothest experiences available for action fans looking to dive into the zombie apocalypse and it’s easily one of the first games I’d recommend to those looking for an intense and satisfying first-person shooter experience.

Final Score: 4 out of 5

Arizona Sunshine and Arizone Sunshine - Dead Man DLC are available on Viveport.